2017 NCF Cathy Meachum Volunteer of the Year Award: Presented to Dwan Katz

The NATCA Charitable Foundation (NCF) was honored to present the 2017 Cathy Meachum Volunteer of the Year award to Dwan Katz. NCF President Corrie Conrad, during an award ceremony at the 17th Biennial Convention in Philadelphia, celebrated Katz as “an amazing woman” who is helping the lives of her community.”

Katz is described by her husband, Aaron, as being someone who has “always taken helping others to the extreme. She truly believes in doing anything she can to help others and pay her own blessings forward.”

She first got involved with NCF through a chance meeting with previous NCF President Elena Nash. She began participating in several NCF programs. She first participated in the NCF backpack drive and filled 30 backpacks for Phoenix-area children. The following year, she wanted to take the drive to the next level. She began working with Phoenix-area ATC facilities, and the numbers increased in both backpacks and supplies donated, from 30 to approximately 45.

The following year, Katz hit the program even harder and worked with Top Golf Gilbert to host a backpack stuffing party to encourage others to both participate and educate themselves on the value of the program. The number of backpacks and supplies donated this past year has risen to almost 80.

She has also participated each year in sponsoring a family in need at Christmas time.

“The more I got to know Dwan through volunteering, the more I witnessed her passion and selflessness when giving back to others,” Conrad said. “Last year, we asked Dwan to be a part of the NCF events committee where I watched her take the lead on different projects with drive, focus and tenacity.

“But her selflessness and generosity does not stop there. After Dwan gave birth to a set of twins, she carried and gave birth to TWO other sets of twins as a surrogate for two separate families. True selflessness and caring for others is exactly what Dwan is all about.”